See and be seen on La Rambla

La Rambla is the busiest pedestrian street in Barcelona and immensely popular with both tourists and locals. The 1.2-kilometre-long street is completely car-free and lined with tall trees. La Rambla offers a huge range of kiosks, stalls and street artists and is Barcelona’s liveliest and most vibrant street from early morning to late at night.

Originally, the Rambla was a small river that flowed just outside the city limits. In the 16th century, monasteries and a university were built along the water. Three centuries later, the city wall was knocked down and more buildings emerged along the then dried-up river. Spaniards also refer to this street as Las Ramblas, because the Rambla actually consists of 5 different parts – often named after buildings that were originally on this street, but have long been torn down.

 Aerial view of La Rambla

Barcelona

At the beginning of La Rambla

La Rambla begins at Plaça de Catalunya and La Rambla de Canaletes, named after the 19th-century Canaletes fountain. The Spanish expression 'he drinks water from Canaletes' means that someone is from Barcelona – legend says that anyone who drinks from the fountain will keep coming back to this city. Next comes La Rambla dels Estudis, named after a 16th-century university (the Estudi General), which was demolished in 1843. This area includes several interesting buildings, such as La Reial Acadèmia de Ciències i Arts. The royal academy displays the city’s first public clock.

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Flower stall on the Rambla de los Flors

La Rambla de Sant Joseph

La Rambla de Sant Joseph is named after a demolished monastery, but it is better known as La Rambla de los Flors (the flower Rambla). This part of La Rambla ends in a small square called Plaça de la Boqueria- , which contains a mosaic by famous Barcelona artist Joan Miró. La Rambla dels Caputxins, which was named after the former Capuchin monastery, boasts several highlights: the Catalan Modernist Gran Teatre del Liceu, and access to Plaça Reial, a 19th-century square designed by Antoni Gaudí. On the other side of La Rambla, in the side street Nou de la Rambla, stands one of Gaudí's first residential buildings: the fabulously beautiful Palau Güell. The parabolic shapes give a taste of Gaudí's later work, such as Park Güell.

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The Columbus Monument at Port Vell

La Rambla de Santa Monica

The last part of the street is called La Rambla de Santa Monica, named after a monastery that was transformed into a museum: the Centre d'Art Santa Mònica. This Rambla leads to a roundabout, with in its centre the roughly 60-metre-high Columbus Monument. At the very end of the 5 Ramblas, you will find the Maremagnum: a complex with shops, an Imax theatre and even an aquarium.

From street performers to pet shops

Las Ramblas form the heart of the bustling inner city of Barcelona. Spend a wonderful afternoon or evening with a jug of sangria on one of the many outdoor patios. Talented street artists exhibit their art, offering countless photo opportunities and a vibrant atmosphere. The long street counts a wide variety of souvenir shops, (tapas) restaurants, hotels, supermarkets and clothing stores. Perhaps more unusual, but also very popular, are the pet shops that sell birds.